Surgical instrument



L. C. DWOYER SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 7, 1942 INVENTOR. (I DWQYERPatented Aug. 8, 1944 v OFFICE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Leon 0. Dwoyer,Linden, NJ. Application December 7, 1942, Serial No. 468,031

. 3 Claims. (01. 128-346) The present inventionrelates to improvementsin surgical instruments and more particularly to improvements for use inperforming circumcisions.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel circumcision instrumentwhich is of simple and durable design and is easily manipulated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel circumcisioninstrument which will apply a firm clamping pressure to an intendedcircumferential area of the prepuce, thus xpediting the labor of thesurgeon and yet will not subject the prepuce to a rupturing action.

Another object of my invention is to provide a surgical instrumentwherein the prepuce is held in a position for operation in such a mannerthat there will be no appreciable loss of blood by the severing of theprepuce.

Another object of my invention is to provide a surgical instrument whichcan be locked in any desired position, thus facilitating the handling ofthe device and hence the operation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafterdescribed and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing an embodiment of my invention is shown.

Fig. 1 is an elevational side View of a surgical instrument accordingtomy invention for use in performing circumcisions.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the instrument of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a part of a surgical instrumentaccording to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of a part of a surgical instrumentaccording to Fig, 1 illustrating the position of the various memberswhen applying a clamping pressure to the prepuce.

With reference to the drawing, wherein like reference charactersindicate like parts throughout the several figures thereof, my devicecomprises an arm I in which a circular opening It is formed. The openingII is provided with a frusto-conical wall I2 which constitutes aclamping edge or seat. Arm I0 may be made of any suitable material, forexample, metal, plastic or the like. A lever or member I3 is pivotallyconnected to arm II] by means of a pivot I4. Member I3 carries a stem I5which may be integral with member I3 or be secured to it by any suitablemeans. Stem I5 serves as carrier for a cupshaped clamping portion I6which may be hollow as shown in Fig. 4. The lower end of cup I B may beformed as the frustrum of a cone and sets through opening II andisarched to form a section of the .periphery of alcircle drawn about pivotpoint I4; I hereby accomplish that lever I3 will pull clamping portionI6 supported by stem I5 in such direction as to draw the clampingportion evenly toward the clamping seat when lever I3 is pivoted aroundpivot I 4.

In order to pivot the arm I0, I have provided a scissor type handle I1ending in a loop I8 for receiving the digits of the hand and a secondscissor type handle IS'ending in a loop 20. Handle I1 is integral witharm I0 but, of course, it is also possible to provide a separate handlefastened by any suitable means to arm [0. Handle I 9 is integral withlever I3 but a separate handle secured to the lever may be used. It isobvious from the drawing that handles IT and I9 cooperate in such amanner that a relative movement of those handles will cause clampingportion I6 to move toward its clamping edge or away from it, dependingupon whether handles I! and I9 are moved outwardly or inwardly. Due tothe arched shape of stem l5, clamping portion I ii will sit evenly uponits clamping seat when the surgical device is closed as illustrated inFig. 4.

Handle I! is provided with an extension 2| having several notches 22.These notches 22 cooperate with a nose 23 provided on an extension 24 ofhandle I9. Notches 22 and nose 23 serve to lock the handles I I and I9and hence the clamping portion of the device in any desired position. Ihave found that such locking means facilitate the labor of the surgeonand thus shorten the period of pain and inconvenience of the patientcaused by the operation.

A surgical device according to my invention is to be used as follows:

The prepuce as shown in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 4 is slipped overa cup I6 while the glans penis (not shown) is resting in the cup. Thenthe clamping device is gently closed whereby the prepuce is pulledtoward the clamping seat until finally a circumferential area of theprepuce is firmly and uniformly held between the walls I2 of the opening5 I and clamping portion I 6 as illustrated in Fig. 4. The prepuce isnow in a position in which the operation can be conveniently carriedout.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit of the invention or the essential characteristicsthereof. The present embodiment is to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindiinto clamping seats II and I2. stem I5 extends cated by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed to be desired and secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a surgical instrument for use in performing circumcisions, incombination an arm having an opening providing a clamping seat, aclamping element extending through said opening and having a portioncooperating with said clamping seat for applying a clamping pressure toa circumferential area of the prepuce and means for pulling saidclamping element in such a direction as to draw the clamping portionsthereof evenly toward said clamping seat, said means comprising a memberpivotally c-onnectedto said arm having said clamping seat and carryingsaid clamping element and a handle for pivoting-said member about itspivot point.

2. In a surgical instrument for use "in performing circumcisions, incombination an am having an opening providing a clamping seat, a memberpivotally connected to said arm having said clamping seat a clampingelement having a portion cooperating with said clamping seat and a stemextending through the opening of said arm, one end of said stem beingfastened to said portion and the other to said member and a handle forpivoting said member about its pivot point thus pulling said clampingelement in such direction as to draw the clamping portion thereof evenlytoward said clamping seat.

3. In a surgical instrument for use in performing circumcisions, incombination an arm having an opening providing a clamping seat, a memberpivotally connected to said arm having said clamping seat, a clampingelement having a portion cooperating with said clamping seat and anarched stem extending through said opening of said arm, one end of saidarched stem being fastened to said portion and the other to said member,a scissor-type handle fastened to said member and a second scissor-typehandle cooperating with said first handle fastened to said arm forpivoting said member about its pivot point thus pulling said clampingelement in such direction as to draw the clamping portion thereof evenlytoward said clamping seat.

LEON C. DWOYER.

